Music-roll terminal and clasp



Sept. 21 1926.

T.M.PLETCHER MUSIC ROLL TERMINAL AND CLASP Filed Sept. 23, 1922 JWENTQR. T aa/l/P/efmen 9 "7 ha TTORNEYS- Patented Sept. 21, 1926.

1,600,424 PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS M. FLETCHER, OF FONTANA. WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE" Q R S MUSIC COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AGORIORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MUSIC-ROLL TERMINAL AND CLASP.

Application filed September 23, 1922.

The purpose of this invention is to pro vide a terminal member for a music roll adapted to normally retain the sheet constituting the roll snugly on the spool when wound thereon out of service. It consists in the elements and features of construction shown and described as indicated. in the claim.

In the drawings I,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a music roll equipped with this invention with the end portion having the terminal lug for unwinding the roll which carries the terminal. spring clasp characterizing this invention, unwound for a short distance and held by the operator in the position for engaging it with the takeup roll.

Figure 2 is a sectional longitudinal with respect to the roll sheet at the plane of the spring clasp, showing the terminal lug and spring clasp hinged thereto in their normal relative positions about the hinge pintle.

Figure 3 is a transverse section of the roll with the sheet fully wound thereon and with the clasp operating for holding it snugly wound.

Figure 4; is a perspective view of the spring wire clasp separated from the note sheet.

It is well known and familiar that music rolls tend to become unwound, or to become loosely wound on their spools, when lying in the container out of service; and thereby the outer or terminal portions of the roll are liable to become rapidly deteriorated in handling and particularly in thrusting them into and drawing them from the containing boxes. To overcome this defect I provide a spring clasp member connected with the terminal lug which clasp normally coils itself so as to embrace the wound roll closely when the sheet has been wound up to the end of the terminal lug to which the clasp is attached, so that the clasp normally comes into clasping relation to the roll as the latter is wound ontothe spool.

As shown in the drawings, and as preferably constructed, this spring clasp is made of spring wire of the character, stiffness and resiliency of piano wire of small diameter (in practice about 40/1000" is found suitable) the terminal lug of the music roll sheet bein made of a piece of fabric folded. upon itsel fand embracing theend of the sheet and glued to the opposite airfares Serial No. 589.986.

thereof, the spring wire clasp being formed with a cross head which constitutes the pintle of a hinge connection of the spring wire clasp to the terminal lug, the engagement of the two parts being effected by puncturing the fold of the lug and inserting the spring clasp therethrough drawing it up to engage the cross-head in the fold, this being done before the lug is glued onto the sheet. In the drawings, the music roll sheet, A, is shown on av spool, B. The fabric lug is seen at C cut away from the fold, c, at both sides to form a relatively narrow parallel-sided terminal portion, 0 running from the two leaves, 0 0 which are glued to the opposite surfaces of the sheet, the fold being punctured at c midway of the fold. The spring wire clasp, D, has one end folded at right angles at (l and back upon itself at (Z and again back upon itself at (Z forming a cross-head, D making the device T- shaped. The wire is coiled normally in cir cular form as seen in Figure 3 to a diameter somewhat less than the diameter of the fully wound roll, and having its curved portion extending through a sufficient arc of the circle to clasp the fully wound roll somewhat more than 180. Desirably in order to insure snug clasping, the wire is coiled as seen in Figure 2 through about 270 of a circle allowing for expanding it to fit the roll so as to take up something less than 90 of this extent leaving the coil when clasped upon the roll embracing the latter as stated, for somewhat more than 180.

In operation the operator engages the spring clasp with the linger as seen in Figure 1 and withdraws the sheet from the spool sufficient distance to permitthe clasp to be hooked around the take-up roll, E. The clasp then holds the end of the note sheet in position with respect to the takeup roll for automatic engagement of the take-up pin, E with the customary eyelet, c", provided in the lug, C In practice the eyelet and pin are found not essential, the clasp alone usually serving to hold the sheet to the take-up roll sufficiently for initial coil of the note sheet on the take-up roll, and the frictional engagement of this initial coil is found sufficient for the subsequent winding of the note sheet in playing.

For preventing accidental puncture of the paper of the note sheet the end of the wire clasp, the latter is fie...r'ah1y provided with a blunt terminal and for this purpose is coiled to terminate in a small eyelet, d. This eyelet serves also Ior dispensing with the eyelet, 0 without reliance upon the mere frictional engagement of the spring clasp with the take-up roll. The take-up pin, E being retained in the circumferential groove, A of the take-up roll in which the spring clasp is lodged. he terminal eyelet, (Z run nine in this groove when the clasp is engaged with the roll encounters the pin and thereby effects a positive driving engagement for winding the note sheet on the takeup roll. This eyelet, cl, may he made as shown large enough to engage the pin within it: so that the operator not relying on the automatic encounter of the eyelet eXteriorly with the pin, E in running in the 1,eoo,424

groove, E may apply the eyelet, cl, to the pin in the usual manner of engaging the customary eyelet, 0 with said pin.

I claim In a music roll and the like, in comhina tion with a terminal lug folded clasping the end of the sheet which constitutes the roll and secured thereto, a spring wire roll-clasp curved for embracing the roll, comprising integrally with and continuous from the clasp portion a terminal T-shapcd, hinge pintle engaged in the fold of the lag, and having the curved stem of the T penetrating said fold.

In testimony whereof. I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois this 21 day of September, 1922.

THOMAS M. FLETCHER. 

